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18 minutes ago, Vipgle Driver Future said:

Not understanding the fuss. Anyone have any gouge on the Minnesota board coming up? No meet and greets correct? Do they historically hire within? 

I think they only hire legacies. 

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"You're very right that the hiring board isn't going to be at all impressed with his package. Just because you visit a unit doesn't mean anything either. 500 applicants, his scores aren't good and just because he visited doesn't mean he will get an interview. He can try but he just does not have a package to be competitive for fighters. I'm just saying he shouldn't waste his time pursuing that exclusively when he has a slight chance with heavies. Sometimes guys also need to realize that they aren't competitive for UPT and might need to pursue CSO or ABM, there is absolutely no shame in that and that might be his only chance to get picked up as a nav or ABM."

-Buckley Viper Hopeful

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2 hours ago, Vipgle Driver Future said:

Anyone here have any gouge on Lacklands C-5 UPT board? I've noticed they require the PPL, looks like the reserves might be a little more competitive than ANG? 

I do.

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On ‎5‎/‎27‎/‎2018 at 6:51 PM, Deuce362 said:

Are any of these reserve jobs AGR or just weekend warrior type stuff?

These boards are typically for weekend warrior stuff.  You can be offered full time status when you complete all your training but it differs unit to unit and what their needs are.

On ‎5‎/‎27‎/‎2018 at 7:27 PM, Deuce362 said:

Do I have to find a Reserve recruiter or is it just an officer recruiter?

again, depends on the unit. Some want your first point of contact to be with a recruiter they advertise, while others want you to talk to one of the pilots whose additional duties is being the POC for hiring boards.

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On 5/27/2018 at 6:51 PM, Deuce362 said:

Are any of these reserve jobs AGR or just weekend warrior type stuff?

The guard has more AGR spots than the reserves, especially units with alert missions. The reserve has a lot of full time guys, but most are ARTs (active reserve technicians) and are GS 11-13s...so they wear a uniform and rank all the time, and work/fly full time, but are not AGR. Those technician slots exist in the guard as well.  

 

As to finding a recruiter, that’s not a simple answer. For guard, you basically have to go rush a unit, get hired, then they will help you with a recruiter for that unit to bring you in. With the reserves, most people do the same...that is they rush a unit, get hired, but have to get a Reserve Officer Accessions Recruiter to do the official hiring. They then have to get picked up by the centralized AFRC pilot board. Generally (lately anyway), sponsored candidates get picked up. If you are going mil helo to ARC helo, you don’t need to go to the AFRC board, but still need an officer accessions recruiter to do the magic. 

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Not really sure where to put this, but...

I recently visited the ANG unit (fighter unit) in my hometown. The pilot who I talked to strongly recommended enlisting in the ANG after I graduate high school in one year. This would be the only way to get a pilot slot in this unit specifically because they only hire from within. Though, is it truly worth it to enlist when many units take guys off the street after they graduate college? 

Would love to hear your opinions!

Thanks
robspenc is offline  
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The 177 Fighter Wing in Atlantic City will be having a hiring board for Undergraduate Pilot Training candidates seeking to fly the F-16 8-9 September 2018.  Packages are due 6 July 2018.  Please reference the below website for details.  

http://www.177fw.ang.af.mil/Units/Careers/

Please contact the recruiters referenced on the website with any questions.  Thanks.  

  

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On 5/30/2018 at 8:31 PM, robspenc said:

Not really sure where to put this, but...

I recently visited the ANG unit (fighter unit) in my hometown. The pilot who I talked to strongly recommended enlisting in the ANG after I graduate high school in one year. This would be the only way to get a pilot slot in this unit specifically because they only hire from within. Though, is it truly worth it to enlist when many units take guys off the street after they graduate college? 

Would love to hear your opinions!

Thanks
robspenc is offline  

I disagree, if you know you want to fly, then go to college and fly afterwards. Enlisting makes you older, and therefore less attempts available to get hired on a pilot board. It is also not a guarantee to get hired at your home unit. The CC's opinion on said subject matters a lot as well, since they have the final say. Some CCs are heavy leaners towards hiring internally, others don't care if you're in the unit when meeting the board. You (and the pilot who gave you this advice) have no idea who will be the CC in 5 years and also don't know that unnamed CC's opinion regarding this. 

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11 hours ago, brabus said:

I disagree, if you know you want to fly, then go to college and fly afterwards. Enlisting makes you older, and therefore less attempts available to get hired on a pilot board. It is also not a guarantee to get hired at your home unit. The CC's opinion on said subject matters a lot as well, since they have the final say. Some CCs are heavy leaners towards hiring internally, others don't care if you're in the unit when meeting the board. You (and the pilot who gave you this advice) have no idea who will be the CC in 5 years and also don't know that unnamed CC's opinion regarding this. 

Just throwing my .02 out here from the experience I have gone through, I agree with what brabus is saying but I also disagree. I am in a similar situation with my unit. They only hire from within and have only picked off the street one time in that past 10 years. I started college late at 20, enlisted at 21 with a 20k bonus with a year of college under my belt, went to BMT and crew chief tech school which were 8 months, so had to miss a year of school. Now graduating at 25 with equivalent of about year and a half of TIS being a DSG, great contacts, awards, back seat ride in the 16, gained a lot of respect for the enlisted side, and got to enjoy college while only having to give up one weekend a month. Enlisting did delay the process since I will be putting in my first application next month, but I wouldn't have changed a thing. 

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1 hour ago, elvis said:

Just throwing my .02 out here from the experience I have gone through, I agree with what brabus is saying but I also disagree. I am in a similar situation with my unit. They only hire from within and have only picked off the street one time in that past 10 years. I started college late at 20, enlisted at 21 with a 20k bonus with a year of college under my belt, went to BMT and crew chief tech school which were 8 months, so had to miss a year of school. Now graduating at 25 with equivalent of about year and a half of TIS being a DSG, great contacts, awards, back seat ride in the 16, gained a lot of respect for the enlisted side, and got to enjoy college while only having to give up one weekend a month. Enlisting did delay the process since I will be putting in my first application next month, but I wouldn't have changed a thing. 

Robspenc,

I'll back up elvis. It might delay your ability to enter by a year or so but going ANG is a great way to get a ton of tuition help. You're gunna need to go through college anyways so might as well make some easy money doing it. It also gives you an advantage with that specific unit since you are internal but I would still apply to as many units as possible. You'll be "off the street" with other units but having prior service may give you a slight edge. Another thing, the pilot community is fairly small and many ANG/Reserve pilots know members at other units. Being in a unit could help you gain some leverage at other units by networking through your pilots. 

If you do decide to enlist, try to choose an AFSC that will get you exposure to the pilots. Working as a crew chief on the flight line may not be the most desirable job but you gain knowledge of the aircraft and you'll be the one launching and recovering the aircraft which means loads of pilot exposure. 

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4 hours ago, Kylrs said:

Robspenc,

I'll back up elvis. It might delay your ability to enter by a year or so but going ANG is a great way to get a ton of tuition help. You're gunna need to go through college anyways so might as well make some easy money doing it. It also gives you an advantage with that specific unit since you are internal but I would still apply to as many units as possible. You'll be "off the street" with other units but having prior service may give you a slight edge. Another thing, the pilot community is fairly small and many ANG/Reserve pilots know members at other units. Being in a unit could help you gain some leverage at other units by networking through your pilots. 

If you do decide to enlist, try to choose an AFSC that will get you exposure to the pilots. Working as a crew chief on the flight line may not be the most desirable job but you gain knowledge of the aircraft and you'll be the one launching and recovering the aircraft which means loads of pilot exposure. 

Just to add on things Kylrs reminded me of, the monthly GI bill for school is a nice $780 a month, and just having a military ID is very helpful. As for AFSC's I was always told to try and get AFE (aircrew flight equipment) or something in OPS, but none were available. So crew chief was the next best, I'm in phase docks so not much exposure to pilots, but just walk on over to OPS and majority of guard pilots that I've spoken to are more than willing to sit down and talk about the slot and anyway they can help. 

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This is worth what you paid for it, YMMV, etc, etc

 

I've seen a lot of my young enlisted guys tell me how they want to be a pilot.  They enlist for tuition assistance, money, experience, whatever.  All good reasons.  I'd say more than 90% of them never even get an application together and submit it.  Various reasons - most common is they drag their feet through school because they like being a crew chief/med tec/engine shop guy or the unit deploys and they have to go.  One thing leads to another and they are all the sudden scrambling at 29 to take the tests, finish school and rush the squadron.  Never works. 

 

If you enlist as a means to become a pilot, be warned: you aren't the first one to try it, some make it most (IME) don't.  I love my enlisted dudes, couldn't make it happen without them and there's absolutely nothing wrong with the work they do or the career they chose.  For a lot of them it was their second choice - just know that going in. 

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